As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, a controversial statement by a Pakistani MP has drawn sharp attention. Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, a Member of Parliament from Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and a Supreme Court advocate, made a dismissive remark when asked about the possibility of war with India.

In a televised interview, a journalist questioned Marwat on whether he would personally take up arms in the event of a conflict. When further asked if India should consider de-escalating, Marwat retorted, “Is Modi my aunt’s son that he will step back just because I say so?” His comment, seen as flippant during a time of heightened tensions, sparked criticism on social media and in diplomatic circles. The backdrop to this exchange is the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 male tourists. The attack, attributed to cross-border militants, has intensified hostility between the two nuclear-armed nations.

In India, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Pakistani leadership of being in a state of panic. He claimed that several top Pakistani generals and ministers had already prepared to flee the country, fearing India's potential military retaliation. “Pakistan’s ministers have admitted they cannot match India's strength. They are so afraid that some are openly saying they’ll escape to England once India responds,” Bhandari stated. He further emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is prepared to deliver a strong and decisive reply. “There is a consensus globally and within Pakistan itself that they cannot stand against India’s defense capabilities,” Bhandari added. The verbal sparring underscores the growing unease and the fragile state of affairs in the region, as both sides brace for possible escalations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.

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